A TEENAGE girl feared she had been left paralysed after she was struck by a cowardly hit-and-run drink driver.

The young girl was standing in the driveway of a friend’s home in Wix when she was hit by a Volkswagen Golf driven by 35-year-old Simon Abbott.

Abbott, who was behind the wheel without insurance, was later found to be almost double the drink drive limit.

Samantha Lowther, prosecuting at Chelmsford Crown Court, read out a victim impact statement penned by the teenager.

She said: “She says she was initially very frightened and scared thinking she was going to be paralysed.

“She has developed flashbacks, especially when near roads at night.

“She broke down in tears when she had to cross the road in the dark as it brought back memories.”

The court heard the crash happened at around 9.28pm on August 18 last year while the victim enjoyed a sleepover at a friend’s house.

Mrs Lowther added: “She said she was standing outside the house with some of her friends when all of a sudden a car came by and collided with her.

“She was knocked to the floor. She said she was in a lot of pain.

“I am told at that stage she thought she was going to die.”

The victim suffered internal bleeding, grazes and bruising.

Abbott admitted dangerous driving, drink driving, driving a vehicle without insurance and fleeing the scene of a crash.

Matthew Bone, mitigating, said: “It is a matter of huge good fortune and relief that the young child in this case was not more significantly injured.

“Some appropriate remorse has been shown by this defendant and he is sorry.”

Jailing Abbott for a total of ten months, Judge Jonathan Seely described his actions as “selfish.”

He said: “You struck another human being and took a decision which was totally selfish.

“You could get in trouble so you said ‘no, don’t stop, don’t help’.

“Don’t try and assist that terrified child lying there because of what you did.’

“Look after number one - that’s what you did.”

Abbott, of Gatefield Close, Walton, was banned from driving for 18 months.

He had denied a charge of fleeing the scene of a crash relating to a separate accident in Princess Street, Harwich.

This charge was dropped by prosecutors.